Study on the mass imbalance macro-micro friction and wear characteristics of high-speed angular contact ball bearing cages

• Published in: Tribology international 2025-04, Vol.204, p.110491, Article 110491
• Main Authors: Zeng, Guang, Liang, Zhaowei, Zhao, Chunjiang, Liu, Yuanpeng, Li, Kaixuan, Bian, Qiang, Bao, Menghao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Macro-micro wear morphology; Mass imbalance; Material transfer; Micro-weave analysis
• ISSN: 0301-679X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.triboint.2024.110491

Cage mass imbalance stability is crucial for the reliability and service life of high-speed angular contact ball bearings. This paper carries out experimental research on the bearing cage mass imbalance working condition, with the objective of elucidating the wear characteristics and mechanisms of high-speed angular contact ball bearings under the condition of cage mass imbalance, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the reliability design of related equipment. Analyses were carried out on the wear forms, wear mechanisms, macroscopic and microscopic morphological features, material transfer, and micro-textures of the wear characteristics of bearing components affected by this condition. The research shows that: the cage, rolling body and raceway have different degrees of wear; among them, the friction burns and plastic deformation of the cage are the most serious, and the plastic deformation is mainly coordinated by the slipping of the copper phase grains, and the frequent impact load forces the copper phase grains to accumulate more dislocations and also provides the power needed for twinning; simultaneously, the cage and rolling body wear Surface material transfer and oxidized wear, seriously affecting the service life of bearings. The results of this research can provide references for the bearing design and maintenance of bearings in aerospace applications, high-speed machine tools and other high-precision equipment, thereby improve the operational stability of equipment in high-end fields such as aerospace and high-speed CNC lathes. •Impact wear dominates the wear process of the cage.•The influence of mass imbalance on the cage has been analyzed.•The bearing wear mechanism under the condition of mass imbalance has been studied.•The phenomena of material transfer and oxidative wear during the bearing wear process have been revealed.•The plastic deformation of the cage has been elaborated in detail based on the results of EBSD analysis.